Billy - great story - I have been involved in motorsport at all levels from local club stuff to state and national series for over 40 years ... fiddling with your car and drving it the way it was designed to be driven (and then some) is just about the most fun your can have (at our age at least). Go for it -
With respect to the clutch problem, it sounds like you may have a little air in the system - so replace the fluid with DOT 4 or DOT 5.1 (DOT 5 is silicone based and I wouldn't use it as a matter of personal preference) and then bleed the system - this will be a PITA if you don't have ramps or a hoist and someone to assist - otherwise it is a shop job unfortunately.
Like I said, giving the car a spanking on the track is a great way of passing the time and no matter how long you have been at it, you never ever stop learning.
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